André Lee1, Shinichi Furuya2, Masanori Morise3, Peter Iltis4, Eckart Altenmüller2. 1. University of Music, Drama and Media Hannover, Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine, Emmichplatz 1, 30175 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: eckart.altenmueller@hmtm-hannover.de. 2. University of Music, Drama and Media Hannover, Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine, Emmichplatz 1, 30175 Hannover, Germany. 3. University of Yamanashi, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, 400-8510 Kofu, Japan. 4. University of Music, Drama and Media Hannover, Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine, Emmichplatz 1, 30175 Hannover, Germany; Gordon College, Department of Kinesiology, 01984 Wenham, MA, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Musician's dystonia is a task-specific loss of voluntary motor control of the fingers or the embouchure. In contrast to pianists' dystonia, which can be objectively assessed based on movement kinematics and muscular activities, no objective quantitative measure has been established for embouchure dystonia. METHODS: We focused on acoustic signals, and investigated, whether the fluctuation of the time-varying fundamental frequency of a note can provide an objective and reliable measure of embouchure dystonia. RESULTS: A comparison between patients with embouchure dystonia and healthy controls found a significantly higher variability of the fundamental frequency for the patients. CONCLUSION: The present findings propose a new quantification and objectivation method for embouchure dystonia.
INTRODUCTION: Musician's dystonia is a task-specific loss of voluntary motor control of the fingers or the embouchure. In contrast to pianists' dystonia, which can be objectively assessed based on movement kinematics and muscular activities, no objective quantitative measure has been established for embouchure dystonia. METHODS: We focused on acoustic signals, and investigated, whether the fluctuation of the time-varying fundamental frequency of a note can provide an objective and reliable measure of embouchure dystonia. RESULTS: A comparison between patients with embouchure dystonia and healthy controls found a significantly higher variability of the fundamental frequency for the patients. CONCLUSION: The present findings propose a new quantification and objectivation method for embouchure dystonia.